Colombia Club

[lucho562 0]

Thanks Mike and Parkpapa.

I am going to wait another week or so before I have Wendy set up appts. for the lab tests and medical exam. I want to know the interview date first. Would it be wise to schedule the lab test maybe 3 days before the exam? Then the exam a day before the interview?

This way we avoid 2 trips to Bogota. We would arrive to Bogota maybe 1 week before the interview.

Does this sound like a good plan??

[HAL 9000 96]

Lucho!!!!

Answers below.....

Wendy just faxed packet 3 I'm not really sure what to do next. But I have questions on the 3 below bullet points.

First, to answer a question a few posts up.....my wife faxed her packet 3 stuff on a Wednesday. We left for our honeymoon on Friday. By the time we returned the following Friday, packet 4 was waiting for her at her house in Bogota. Obviously, if your fiance lives outside of Bogota....the wait will be longer....because the mail system in Colombia is reportedly not so hot. Maybe some of the other folks on the board can comment on their recent experiences (assuming the beneficiary lives outside of Bogota).

* Information about required immunizations

Can the required immunizations be done at any clinic?

Yes. The Red Cross might be your best and cheapest option.

* Information about medical exam and names of the two doctors

The general physical exam can only be done by these 2 doctors?

Yes.

* Information about the lab tests

The lab tests can only be done by the '2 doctors'? Or can they be performed at any clinic?

No, the lab is done by a specific lab that will be listed in packet 4 (don't have it in front of me now, sorry). The lab results will be sent directly to the doctor of your choosing (one of the two).

The general physical exam and lab tests can be done on the same day?

I don't think so (if anyone knows otherwise, speak up). After all, the blood needs to be analyzed. My wife just told me that there was 1 or 2 days between the blood test/x-ray and the medical exam.

Mike

Well, at Dra González' they say that you can do both in the same day. I'm having my girl get her lab work done the day before just to be sure.

[HAL 9000 96]

Got the medical on Wednesday May 30 with Dra González... that gives us enough time for her to put the documents together and be set for the June 4 date... we'll probably stay at a family member's home on a variation of a home swap...

Good luck everybody! I'm at the 11 day mark for traveling so TONIGHT I start packing clothes and paperwork!

Best of luck to you!! You'll be there around the same time I am. When's your interview date?

I get there on the night of the 29th on AA... good ol'miles do help out! Interview is on the 4th... Almost everything is god to go!

She has her Migratorio on hand as of this morning

[jediknight 0]

mavi, how long did it take to get the certificado migratorio?

JK

[HAL 9000 96]

Got the medical on Wednesday May 30 with Dra González... that gives us enough time for her to put the documents together and be set for the June 4 date... we'll probably stay at a family member's home on a variation of a home swap...

Good luck everybody! I'm at the 11 day mark for traveling so TONIGHT I start packing clothes and paperwork!

Best of luck to you!! You'll be there around the same time I am. When's your interview date?

Well, duh!! And here I was worried about Lorena's English skills. I can't even read what's right in front of me! Good luck on the 4th!!!

Inglés?? Oye mano, qué es eso??

Same to you guys on the 6th!! I can't believe that its almost time to bring her here... all my friends can't wait to finally be able to socialize in Chicago instead of having me pass them up for MSN Video Chat...

[HAL 9000 96]

mavi, how long did it take to get the certificado migratorio?

JK

Well... it arrived this very morning in Bucaramanga. We're almost talking 5 weeks when they themselves said 3 originally. Plus it took her call to find out it was there so who knows... it may have been there for a bit waiting for her to call.

Hope it helps make an informed decision as to when to ask for one... if you got a month before the interview then you should be OK if asking for one outside of Bogotá.

Luck!

[parkpapa 0]

mavi, how long did it take to get the certificado migratorio?

JK

Well... it arrived this very morning in Bucaramanga. We're almost talking 5 weeks when they themselves said 3 originally. Plus it took her call to find out it was there so who knows... it may have been there for a bit waiting for her to call.

Hope it helps make an informed decision as to when to ask for one... if you got a month before the interview then you should be OK if asking for one outside of Bogotá.

Luck!

You can get the certificado migratorio in three or four days in Bogota at DAS. I don't think it's the certificate that's the problem, it is the slow mail system. At least you have an option if you will have some time in Bogota.

[HAL 9000 96]

Our options- Absolutely dude... there is family that I haven't met and family she won't be seeing for a while (those not rich enough to afford a B visa) so its all about La Familia when I'm there. At least I'll have two weeks to continue spending Q-time with her and her folks before I steal her away.

You know... I can only say good things about the Colombian mail system. For some reason everything I've ever sent has gotten there OK and in a decent amount of time.

Anyway, I am hoping to have great news about our interview even though I am sure there's more for me to post before the trip. All of you folks here on VJ have been nothing but helpful and sympathetic since we're all suffering and learning together.

[Mike and Adriana 0]

Yes, you should wait for the interview date first. If you are in Bogota a week before the appointment, that should suffice. You can get the DAS certificate, get the lab test and the medical exam taken care of. I personally would try to have everything wrapped up two days before the interview (i.e., one day free before the interview day), just in case. I have heard some crazy stories about things in Colombia....they do not always work effeciently.

Mike

Thanks Mike and Parkpapa.

I am going to wait another week or so before I have Wendy set up appts. for the lab tests and medical exam. I want to know the interview date first. Would it be wise to schedule the lab test maybe 3 days before the exam? Then the exam a day before the interview?

This way we avoid 2 trips to Bogota. We would arrive to Bogota maybe 1 week before the interview.

Does this sound like a good plan??

[jediknight 0]

yes, i've noticed that things can go wrong or be delayed in colombia so we'll be traveling to bogota with enough time to sort everything out before the interview and hopefully still have a few days to spare.

JK

[Mononoke28 134]

Lucho,

Yes, I was also going to suggest not to leave anything for the day before the interview because if you come across an issue or problem, you'll have that day to take care of it.

Also, I think I saw somewhere that your fiancée is from Cali. My husband called their Red Cross last month and they told him that he could get all three vaccines there, they even had a special that if you get all 3 with them you only pay for 2 and get the third one free.

Diana

[lucho562 0]

Thanks for the tip Diana,

Wendy is from Barranquilla. She will be contacting the red cross there on monday. How much do the 3 vaccines run?

[jediknight 0]

lucho. let me know about the vaccinations in barranquilla. my wife is there and she has to get the 3 soon as we're expecting the interview date sometime in july or aug. please let me know what your fiance finds out, if she can just walk in or has to make an appt, how much, etc.

thanks

JK

[lucho562 0]

lucho. let me know about the vaccinations in barranquilla. my wife is there and she has to get the 3 soon as we're expecting the interview date sometime in july or aug. please let me know what your fiance finds out, if she can just walk in or has to make an appt, how much, etc.

thanks

JK

Sure, I will let you know early next week...Monday or Tuesday.

Also I am looking for a good link to get form DS-156k. I have this link, but it does not work http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsck1instructions.shtml

[lucho562 0]

lucho. let me know about the vaccinations in barranquilla. my wife is there and she has to get the 3 soon as we're expecting the interview date sometime in july or aug. please let me know what your fiance finds out, if she can just walk in or has to make an appt, how much, etc.

thanks

JK

Sure, I will let you know early next week...Monday or Tuesday.

Also I am looking for a good link to get form DS-156k. I have this link, but it does not work http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsck1instructions.shtml

Nevermind, I found a good link

Is this Packet 4 link for K1 or K3 visas? Or both?

http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwfcivappointment_temp.pdf

Also, it states that I need affadavit support form I-864. However I have been told that I need I-134 instead. What gives???